By Saad B. Sharba
In August 2008, I was asked to take over as fire chief at an industrial fire station. The promotion was surprising, since I did not expect to be in the hot seat that soon. The transition to operations was a major change, coming from a fire service technical and support background.
The first question that came to mind was, Where do I start? For obvious reasons, the term “reconnaissance,” referring to 360° search, which I came across during fire officer training, came to mind. I asked myself, Why don’t you just apply this concept to managing your station?
Undertaking a 360° search of this problem, I broke my constituents down into two groups:
- Outside customers
— My area’s authority/management.
— My area’s citizens and local industrial organizations. - Inside customers
–The fire marshal.
–My unit employees.
This raised some questions that I needed to answer myself, namely:
- What are their needs?
- What are their priorities?
- How can they be satisfied?
From here, I began to plan and act accordingly.
First Things First
Managing outside and domestic customers’ satisfaction is the only way to success. Outside customers need to know their local fire station unit can respond to any kind of emergency effectively and in a timely manner and that their area fire equipment and systems are in a good operating condition.
This can be achieved through hard work and dedication based on 24/7 services. Before delivering any services, however, you will need a clear understanding of the services that will be provided. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is to communicate with customers on face-to-face basis. Break the ice. Drop in at local offices, and shake hands. Attend management and operations meetings personally. If you cannot afford the time, send representatives who will represent the station well. Take notes and any comments seriously. Do not be defensive. Be responsive to customers’ comments, and make them feel that you are on their side. Immediately act on concerns, and get their feedback. Strive to accommodate them as a business owner who wants patrons to return.
Inside Customers
Now, we must look at the needs of our “inside customers” and how they can be met. Learn the local fir marshal’s priorities, meet his deadlines, and be efficient (in the way you work) and effective (show outcomes.)
It is more difficult to resolve the customer satisfaction equation. Unit employees–staff (deputy fire chiefs and day workers) and firefighters are the arms and legs of the fire chief, and if a leg or arm is hurting, the fire chief will not be okay. The degree of pain is directly proportional to the well-being of the fire chief.
Without focusing on personal, subjective feelings, look at your workforce and consider the following:
- What is the overall station environment? Believe it or not, a sloppy station means lousy jobs.
- What is your personnel like? What is their training level, education level, age, and strength of character?
- How familiar is your staff with the department standard operating procedures?
- What is the condition of your station equipment?
- What’s your station culture like? Is it loving, caring, and promoting positive change?
- How do your members behave? Is their behavior based on a culture of safety?
- How do your members feel about their customers? Do they make customers a priority?
- What level of service are you providing to your customers?
All of these questions are indicators that need to be gauged and assessed every now and then. Learn some techniques for measuring performance, such as key performance indicators.
In the end, the secret to managing a fire station is to balance the priorities of your outside customers and domestic customers so the end result will be effective services to the community you protect. Breaking down the factors that determine your department’s performance will help you demystify the many complex demands of management.
Saad Sharba is fire chief at the Berri Gas Plant in Saudi Arabia. He holds a bachelor of science in fire & safety engineering technology/fire protection engineering from Eastern Kentucky University. He has worked in industrial fire brigades for a number of companies, including the Saudi Basic Industry Company (SABIC) and the ARAMCO Oil Company. The thoughts expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of his organization.
